I. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to digital signal processors and devices that use such processors. More particularly, the disclosure relates to controlling the power of one or more resources within a digital signal processor or connected to a digital signal processor.
II. Description of Related Art
Advances in technology have resulted in smaller and more powerful personal computing devices. For example, there currently exist a variety of portable personal computing devices, including wireless computing devices, such as portable wireless telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and paging devices that are small, lightweight, and easily carried by users. More specifically, portable wireless telephones, such as cellular telephones and IP telephones, can communicate voice and data packets over wireless networks. Further, many such wireless telephones include other types of devices that are incorporated therein. For example, a wireless telephone can also include a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a digital recorder, and an audio file player. Also, such wireless telephones can include a web interface that can be used to access the Internet. As such, these wireless telephones include significant computing capabilities.
Typically, as these devices become smaller and more powerful, they become increasingly resource constrained. For example, the screen size, the amount of available memory and file system space, and the amount of input and output capabilities may be limited by the small size of the device. Further, the battery size, the amount of power provided by the battery, and the life of the battery is also limited. Often, even though a device in which a digital signal processor is incorporated is in a standby mode and powered down, leakage can occur at the digital signal processor. In other words, one or more components within the digital signal processor or coupled to the digital signal processor may continue to drain energy from the battery.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an improved method of controlling power within a digital signal processor.